The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and relevant links.

Mt. Monadnock

This picture was taken on a lovely late summer's day upon ascending the Pumpelly Trail on Mt. Monadnock near Dublin, New Hampshire. Mt. Monadnock (3,165 ft or 965 m high) is thought to be the second most hiked mountain in the world -- Mt. Fuji is considered to be the most often scaled. This modest-sized mountain is believed to have formed during the Devonian from sand and clay deposits -- eastern North America was then covered by an ocean. Later in its history, this land was thrust upward, folding and transforming the rocks into the quartzite, schist and associated minerals. Eventually the mountain was intruded by magma to form impressive dikes and quartz veins.